by T. J. Quinn
He guided her to her room, but this time, he didn’t touch her. It was as if he feared a single touch would trigger another explosion of passion between them and he was probably right.
Asgar waited until she got in before he closed the door, making sure he locked it this time. Sasha leaned against it for a few moments recalling all of the passion they had shared just a few minutes ago.
She had lost her mind. That was the only possible explanation, right? Who, in sound judgment, would lose herself in the arms of a man that was clearly her enemy?
With a deep sigh, she returned to the bed and closed her eyes, determined to forget the whole incident, dismissing it as an act of temporary insanity.
The following morning, right after breakfast, she was informed that Eleanor was awake. Once more, Asgar guided her to the infirmary, but when they got there, she had fallen back asleep.
“How was she this morning?” Sasha asked Colborn.
“She was feeling much better and completely conscious of herself and her surroundings. Judging by what she told me, Eskol inflicted a great deal pain in her. She’s still sore and tired, so I wasn’t surprised when she fell back asleep,” the doctor explained.
“May I stay here, just in case she wakes up?” Sasha asked, trying to avoid going back to her room.
“She’s sound asleep. My guess is she’ll be conscious again after the next meal. You can come back then,” the doctor rejected her suggestion.
“I would thank you very much if you would let me know the minute she wakes up,” she asked him, wriggling her hands, nervously.
“Certainly.”
“Thank you.”
They left the infirmary, and Sasha was expecting to be taken back to her room. Instead, he guided her to another room, but before he allowed her in, he took her by her arm.
“I’m allowing you to spend some time with the rest of the women,” she opened her mouth to thank him, but he raised his hand, preventing her from doing so. “It would be better if you don’t mention we brought Eleanor with us,” he asked, in a stern tone.
“Why not? They would be happy to know it.”
“I’m sure of it. But we still have to figure out how we’re going to explain her condition to our people.”
“What? You’ve never seen a crippled person before?” she asked, oozing scorn.
“Actually, no. We are self-healing creatures, and if one of our limbs gets severed, we grow a new one,” he replied, ignoring her tone.
She was astounded. She had never heard of a species like his, not even in the mythology. “That’s no reason…” she started, when she was finally able to utter some words.
“Yes, there is, and if you don’t agree to stay quiet about her presence in this vessel, I’m afraid I won’t allow you in there,” he cut her, in a cold tone.
“Oh, fine. I won’t mention her,” she agreed, exasperated.
“Very well. I will be watching you, so don’t try anything funny.”
She scowled at him. “Why the hell did you buy us, anyway?” she asked, more confused than ever.
“That’s for our king to explain. It’s not my place to talk to you about it,” he replied in the same obnoxious cold tone.
She snorted and entered the room.
The rest of the women were already gathered there, and she was able to spend a few hours with them, talking about all they had experienced ever since they had been bought by the Zuvrakians. They even had lunch together, what was quite a change from the lonely meals she had had ever since Asgar had brought them to the ship.
But, after lunch, they were kindly invited to return to their own rooms, escorted by one of the ship’s guards.
Sasha was about to follow the one assigned to her when Asgar showed up. “I’ll take you,” he said, grabbing her by her elbow and guiding her in an entirely different direction.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, with a frown.
“I thought you wanted to see your friend,” he replied in a cold tone.
“Is she awake?”
“Not yet, but Colborn thinks she will be, very soon.”
Once in the infirmary, the doctor took them to Eleanor’s room.
She was opening her eyes the moment they entered the room.
“Hey, sleepy head, how are you feeling?” Sasha asked her, caressing her auburn hair.
“Hey…” her friend fluttered her eyes open, with a faint smile on her lips.
Sasha hugged her tight, hiding her face in the crack of her neck. “I thought I was never going to see you again,” she murmured.
“I know… I thought the same,” Eleanor admitted as tears ran down her cheeks, while she wrapped her arms around Sasha as well.
They spent a few minutes talking, answering Eleanor’s questions about her situation on the ship and when they finally left her to get back to sleep, Sasha wasn’t pleased.
“You’re not killing her, are you?” she spurted out the minute the left the infirmary.
“Of course not. If I were, I wouldn’t have wasted so much money on her. I’ll find a way to keep her safe. You just have to give me some time,” he said in a stern tone. He wasn’t about to reveal the only reason he had bought Eleanor was that she had asked him.
He would do pretty much anything to make her happy, but she wasn’t ready for that kind of truth.
“Thank you. I know what I think has no importance for you, but I really appreciate all you’re doing for her,” she said, in a very serious tone.
“Don’t thank me. We still don’t know it that was a good decision.”
“No matter what happens in the future, I still feel grateful.”
He nodded but didn’t comment. He guided her back to the room, staying at the door. “We’ll reach Zuvrak during the night, but we won’t leave the ship until the sun is up. So try to get some rest,” he explained, and with another nod, he disappeared down the hall, after he locked her door.
Sleeping was out of the question. Sasha had way too many things running wild through her mind, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to arrive at his home planet. On board the ship, she felt relatively safe, but she had no way of knowing what was expected of her and her friends when they landed on the planet.
By the time Asgar and Egil came back to pick her and the rest of the girls up, she was ready and waiting.
She managed to call Asgar’s attention without the other girls noticing. “What about Eleanor?” she whispered.
“Colborn will take care of her and move her to my own house. She couldn’t be in better hands.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go. The king and the other councils are waiting for us,” he explained.
They were transported in a vehicle that was similar to a van, but like the other vehicles circulating through the place, this one didn’t have wheels. It hovered.
The trip to the huge palace on the hill wasn’t very long, and it gave them an opportunity to see the city that was supposed to become their new home.
The first thing you would notice was the tall buildings around the place. They all looked alike, apparently made of the same material, some sort of gray metal. Though it seemed like a nice town, it was very dull. Nothing appeared to break the monotony of the gray buildings.
Chapter Four
The vehicle finally stopped in front of a massive door, and they were guided inside, towards the council room, as Asgar explained.
The girls were tense and feeling clearly uncomfortable. They were about to find out about their destinies, and Sasha was sure they all shared the same feelings: fear and distrust.
They were invited to take a seat around a huge table before the king started his speech.
The man was quite impressive. Unlike Asgar, his hair was platinum, but he had the same gray eyes, tall body, and muscular complexion. A breathtaking man, no doubt, and the aura of power surrounding him were quite evident. Nonetheless, he had no attraction to her.
“I’m sure you all want to kno
w why you were brought here,” he said.
“I thought that was quite clear,” Sasha grumbled.
The king smiled and shook his head. “I know you were sold as sex slaves, but that is not why we bought you,” he continued. “We are a small planet of Drogon Warriors, and due to the harsh conditions of our world, there are only a few millions of us. Most of this planet is too cold and too arid for people to live in it, so most of the population lives in the few cities we have built.”
A large hologram was displayed in front of the man, showing images of the cities, the mountains and even of the inhospitable parts. They clearly had chosen the best videos and pictures they could find to present the best face of the planet to the newcomers. In many aspects, the world was quite similar to their home planet.
“On the last one hundred rotations to our sun, the number of females born among us decreased to alarming figures,” he continued, in a solemn tone. “We reached a point where we had to make hard decisions, and one of them was to start looking for our mates on the closest planets, and though we have been searching for several rotations now, we have failed to find suitable partners amongst their females.”
“Why was that? For what I could see on the auction and of the other women auctioned with us, there are several species quite similar to you and to us.” Sasha asked, with a suspicious frown on her face.
“Yes, I’m sure of that. Unfortunately, for us to successfully mate with a female, there has to be something else.”
“Like what?” Anya, one of the other women asked.
“It’s hard to explain. More than a thing, it’s a feeling, an instinct that wakes up in us and tells us we have found our soulmate,” The King explained.
“Oh, come on, you have to be kidding me,” Sasha snorted, incredulous.
“I wish I were, believe me. We wouldn’t be having this conversation right now,” The king replied in a cold tone. “We were about to lose all hope of finding a matching species when Asgar came across the Slythonian’s vessel and the first humans we ever entered into contact with. Up to then, we didn’t even know about your solar system.”
“When was that?” Miranda asked, trying to understand.
“A few weeks ago. That first time, he brought back two females of your species, two women. They were immediately mated, and after a period of adaptation, I’m sure they will accept to join their lives with the males fate linked them to.”
“What do you mean with immediately mated?” Sasha asked again.
“It means the male has identified her and claimed her as his soulmate,” Asgar was the one answering that question, locking his eyes with hers.
“What if she wants nothing to do with this so-called soulmate?” she asked again, with a sarcastic tone.
“Though she might resist the idea at the beginning, in time she will submit to the bonds connecting their souls. They wouldn’t be true soulmates if wasn’t like that,” Brynjar explained.
“Have any of us been claimed so far?” Gil Ra asked, curious. The little Asian girl was completely thrilled with the whole story.
“Just one, but I am sure, it won’t take long for all of you to find your life partners. Meanwhile, you’ll all be my guests here at the palace,” he concluded. “Do you have any more questions?”
“Are you going to tell us who was claimed and by whom?” Sasha asked, crossing her arms over her chest, with a deep frown.
“No, we think it’s better to let the females find that out.”
“Isn’t that a bit unfair? After all, the male does know it from the start,” she wasn’t pleased.
Brynjar glanced at Asgar with a mischievous smile. “Perhaps, but we realized telling the women wouldn’t help the males’ cause,” he assured her, with a naughty smile.
“So you say,” she snorted.
“Now, we would like to know more about all of you. Your names, where you come from and what you used to do back on your planet. We want you to feel at home, as much as possible,” Brynjar suggested.
“Maybe we would rather go back home,” Sasha replied.
“I understand your wishes, but I’m afraid that’s not possible. We can’t send you back to your own planet, and even if we could, we wouldn’t. You are a key piece to our future and the survival of our race,” he explained. “Desperate times require desperate measures, and I don’t think we’ve had times more desperate than the present one.” He stood firm on his position. “Perhaps you could start,” he suggested, staring at Sasha, admiring her commanding presence and her beauty. She wasn’t much different from their own females, with her height, and her long, black hair, though she was fairest and her eyes were the bluest he had ever seen.
“Sure, why not?” I’m Sasha O’Donnell; I used to live in the United States of America where I worked as a lawyer. I don’t know if you understand the concept,” she informed.
“No, I don’t think our translation is accurate,” Brynjar confirmed.
“Well, we defend people accused of transgressions or crimes before a court of law.”
“Why don’t people defend themselves?”
“Some people simply have no idea of how to do that. An innocent person, confused and unable to explain the facts can easily be misjudged,” she explained.
“Yes, I guess that could happen. Our liar detectors work quite perfectly, though,” The King explained. “Did you leave any family or friends behind?”
“No, I haven’t, and I’m sure none of us here present has. The lizards were very cautious with that, according to what they told me. They look for people that won’t be missed much.”
“Lizards?” he asked, puzzled with the unfamiliar name.
The other women chuckled. “That’s what we called the Slythonians. They are very similar to some animals we have back on Earth.”
“Ah, I see,” The king smiled and turned to Miranda, the brunette with warm eyes and contagious smile. Her skin was darker than the ones of the other women, but still, she was incredibly beautiful. “What about you?”
“My name is Miranda González, and I come from México, I used to be an astronomy teacher in one of the capital’s universities. This abduction, despite the awful parts, is a dream come true. I had always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but my country doesn’t send people to the moon.”
“That’s fascinating,” Geir, one of the councils, said. “Perhaps you can help us identify your galaxy on our intergalactic maps.”
“I would be more than pleased,” she assured him.
“And you?” it was Gil Ra’s turn. He looked at her intrigued with her almond shaped eyes, quite different from the ones of the other women. She was also smaller than the others and very delicate. He was amazed at Planet Earth’s variety of races.
“I’m Gil Ra, and I come from South Korea. I was still a student, getting prepared to work in the fashion world,” she explained with a vivacious grin. “I can’t wait to know more about your fabrics.”
“I’m sure we can find someone to help you with that,” Brynjar assured her, turning to look at Anya. “What about you?” Like Sasha, this woman was tall, but all resemblances ended there. She was incredibly fair, and her eyes were almost as gray as the ones of all Drogons.
“I’m Anya Haugen, and I’m an agronomist. I come from Norway, and our weather is quite similar to the one you seem to have here. We had been working on several experiments to grow more vegetables in such a harsh climate.”
“That sounds fascinating; perhaps you can exchange some of those ideas with our own agronomists, as you call them,” he suggested.
“I would love that. Though I’m sure, you are far more advanced than what we are.”
“And at last, but not least, you are?” he turned to look at the last woman, an exquisite brunette, with a wide smile and a voluptuous body.
“I’m Patricia Sousa. I came from Brazil, a South American country and I used to be a chef. Food is my thing.”
“Perhaps one day you’ll delight us with some of your favorit
e dishes,” he suggested smiling.
“I would love that, as much as I would love to study your cuisine.”
“Of course,” Brynjar got up. “Thank you all for answering our questions. I’m sure this whole situation isn’t easy for any of you and I appreciate the effort you are making to assimilate into your new reality,” he made a pause. “For now, you’ll be escorted to your quarters, and though you aren’t our prisoners, I would like you to refrain from going out of the palace on your own.”
“If we’re not your prisoners, why are we still wearing these damn collars?” Sasha inquired, with a deep frown.
His whole explanation sounded like a stupid fairytale, and she was sure they weren’t telling them the whole truth.
“I understand your annoyance, but for now, we need a way to control you. After all, you are still strangers, and the safety of our people comes first. I’m sure you can understand that,” he replied, in a stern tone.
She nodded and got up, being followed by all of the others.
“Of course.”
They left the room guided by one of the guards. Asgar stayed behind.
“I would like to take Sasha home with me if you agree with that,” he asked, keeping his eyes low. He knew Brynjar was very perceptive and the last thing he wanted was for him to suspect anything.
“I know that she’s your soulmate, but I really believe it would be better for both of you if she stays here for a while,” he advised.
“I won’t tell her that, and you know that, but I think she has better chances of accepting Zuvrak as her new home if I keep her with me. You saw her, she’s bellicose, she doesn’t shut up when she’s not happy, not even when that means she’ll get in trouble. I was able to witness that,” he advocated for his cause.
“Haakon won’t like that. He has wanted to take Rosalind up to his mountain, for some time now,” Brynjar sighed.
“Perhaps, it’s time to let him. Trust me on this; allow me to take Sasha with me,” he asked once more. Keeping Sasha away from her friend was a sure recipe for disaster.
“Under what excuse? That will make her suspect she’s the one mated,” Brynjar said.
